1. The Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to image processing. More specifically, disclosed embodiments relate to methods and systems for detecting the representation of objects, such as a human face, within a digital image.
2. The Relevant Technology
Computer technology is increasingly used for detecting objects in digital images. For example, some computer systems are configured to examine a photographic digital image and then detect the size and location of any human face within the image. At least one goal of face detection systems is to accurately detect facial features in a digital image and distinguish the facial features from other objects in the digital image. Patterns in a digital image that correspond with a face vary extensively and are highly complex, due to the variations in facial appearance, lighting, expressions, and other factors. As a result, face detection systems are quite complex.
A common challenge encountered when implementing object detection systems is the large amount of memory that is required in order to scan a digital image. For example, for a quarter video graphics array (“QVGA”) sized input image with 320×240 resolution, a typical face detection scheme can require at least 1.5 MB of memory. As the size of the input image increases, so does the memory requirement. As will be appreciated, the process of scanning images often requires more memory than is available in many devices, such as printers, scanners, and standard computers. Scanning large images can quickly drain the memory resources of many modern computers, thus disrupting the computer's ability to perform other necessary functions.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.